CHESTNUT HILL – If the powers that be hadn’t been as shortsighted and stubborn as they were some 20 years ago, this would be one of the big games in the big-time Big East.

Imagine this: An Eastern conference comprised of Penn State and Boston College, along with Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, West Virginia and probably Notre Dame.

Friday night, all eyes were on Miami’s 16-10 overtime win over Florida State. Last night, all eyes would have been on BC-Penn State. Talk about opportunity lost.

Penn State is a struggling member of the Big Ten, where Nittany Lions fans have to travel to far-flung Midwest locations such as Madison, Wisc., and Minneapolis. Boston College (1-0) is headed to the ACC, where Eagles fans will enjoy trips to Clemson.

Who knows when these two eastern schools will re-establish a series? The Eagles returned to Penn State last year and dropped a demoralizing 27-14 win on the Nittany Lions. BC beat up the Lions, who never regrouped and finished 3-9.

“Penn State’s a lot better than they were last year,” said BC offensive lineman James Marten. “I know they’re going to take it to us.”

The Nittany Lions have to take it to the Eagles, who looked shaky in a 19-11 win at Ball State. Penn State overpowered Akron 48-10 as Zack Mills became the first player in the 39-year Joe Paterno era to throw, catch and run for a touchdown.

But Penn State has never been about trickery. It’s old-school football based on technique and fundamentals. Boston College beat the Nittany Lions at their own game last year.

“It is a little bit of a payback, but it’s more of a sense like they’re our next step in what we have to do,” Penn State linebacker Tim Shaw said. “They’re our primary obstacle right now in trying to build this thing in the right direction, to continue winning.”

Boston College’s win over Penn State was just their third victory in the 22-game series that dates back to 1949. It was another indication that coach Tom O’Brien has taken this program to a very respectable level.

Another win over Penn State on national television would help B.C. keep building. But the Eagles are young. Quarterback Paul Peterson, who has won four consecutive starts dating to last season, would be without redshirt freshman L.V. Whitworth (knee), who came off the bench to run for 129 yards and a touchdown last week.

“I think it will help show our program and the strides we’ve made the past five years, the direction the program’s going,” O’Brien said. “There are a lot of good things about playing on national TV, especially against a storied program such as Penn State.”

Whether or not the Eagles can continue their success in the ACC remains to be seen. If Penn State is any indication, the Eagles could be in for a downward turn. Just as Penn State can longer sell it’s Eastern identity, B.C. will face that next season.

If only the powers that be had gotten it together years ago, BC-Penn State would be a great annual battle for Eastern supremacy. Now it’s a swan song.